


Watchers

by Starts_with_a_D



Series: Merlin one-shots [7]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Best Friends, Bromance, Expectations, Friendship, Gen, Growing Up, Personal Growth, Royalty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-10-16 03:22:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10562661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starts_with_a_D/pseuds/Starts_with_a_D
Summary: Leon watches (his heart aches).





	

A lot of people had their eyes on Arthur Pendragon. This was only to be expected, as he was the future king. Most of those eyes were of the judging, appraising, and measuring sort: judging his personality, looks, and character; appraising how much favor they could curry with him; measuring his worth and value. Few of these watchers were really interested in him as Arthur, but only as the King Arthur he would become. Few really knew him. You might even say that his own father didn’t know him, though there are differing opinions on that.

Leon watched Arthur from a young age. Being raised in a household that did not discourage him from playing with the servants’ children or associating with the lower class, he had a different view than other boys his age. He recognized that, while Arthur was the future king of Camelot, he was also a young boy, a young boy who could be molded and directed in almost any way. Sometimes, in trying to imagine what kind of king and leader Arthur might become, Leon would think up all sorts of frightening scenarios. Captured by evil sorcerers, Arthur might turn against his father and kingdom. Raised in Cendred’s court, he might become a cruel and vicious tyrant. There was so much molding done in childhood, the kind that set the stage for life. It was because of this that Leon watched, almost in agony, as the stage for Arthur's life was set, a stage of deceit, intrigue, and backstabbing. Uther, too busy and full of grief to pay much attention to his son, pushed him away, but demanded too much. Plots and near-assassinations made Arthur less than trusting. So-called friends licked his boots and gave him a skewed worldview. Only Morgana was really sincere, but clashed with Arthur so often that he sometimes became  _ more _ antagonistic and proud, just to make up for it.

Leon tried to help, but there was only so much he could do. He watched as Arthur seemed to slip further and further away from being the king Camelot needed.

The second act in the play of Arthur's life started, and all of a sudden, the stage began to change. It all began with a scene Leon only heard about: a young boy standing up to Arthur and, it seemed, calling him a few names in the process. At first Leon chalked that up to some stupid peasant who didn't know when it was wise to keep his mouth  _ shut _ , but he had, like many before and after him, completely misjudged the boy. Merlin was like a breath of fresh air, a drink of cool water after a hard day's ride, and he was exactly what Arthur and Camelot needed.

Arthur did not need someone to tell him he was a marvelous, splendid person even when he was a prat (he had his "friends" for that). He did not need someone to push him too hard or expect too much (he had Uther for that). What Arthur needed was sincerity. He needed respect honestly given. He needed a friend, someone who saw him as who and what he really was: not just Prince Arthur, or King Arthur, or Sir Arthur, but just . . . Arthur. A man who needed encouragement and respect and kindness and friendship and rebuke just like everybody else.

People still watched Arthur Pendragon. Nobles and enemies watched. Leon watched. Uther watched. Morgana and Gaius and Gwen watched. None of them saw the exact same thing, and nobody drew the exact same conclusions, but as Leon watched Arthur and Merlin wrestle on the practice field, smiling and laughing, insults bristling from every sentence, he thought that Arthur didn't need to fear being watched anymore.

* * *

“I respect your sincerity. Respect? Oh, man, it’s water in the desert . . . “ 

Robert Bolt

**Author's Note:**

> Isn't it funny that King Henry says something like (^) and is less than sincere, but Arthur never says it and means it all the same.
> 
> My finals for winter semester are over! whoooo! I have one week of break and then I'm in school again until July, but so happy!!! Hope you enjoyed the story. It's an older one that I had posted on FF.net, and I'm always will to hear concrit :D


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